“I believe we will pause here for a rest,” Hook said pleasantly as the men marched into a clearing. “And while we rest, we can discuss with Mr. Jukes where his loyalties lie.”

Here it comes, Billy thought, filling with dread. “My loyalties are with you, Cap’n,” the boy said.

“Then why did you assist that Lost Boy?” Hook’s voice remained calm, indicating how angry the pirate was.

“Slightly helped me cure Mullins when he had Never-fever. I’d captured him and he escaped, but he came back to help. We’ve been friends ever since, but only when we’re alone. In battle, he’s a Lost Boy and I’m a pirate… we just don’t fight each other.”

“And today in battle, you aided our enemy,” Hook reminded him, examining his steel claw.

Billy sighed, “I care about ‘im. I’ve been trying to get ‘im to leave Pan and join us… no-one there appreciates ‘im. But now you’ve hurt him and I doubt anything I say now will convince ‘im to switch sides.” He stood up straighter and tried not to show his fear. “I’m loyal to you, Cap’n. I love my crew and my ship. But Slightly is my friend and if he’s hurt I’ll do what I can to help ‘im, as long as it don’t endanger my mates. And if you see fit to punish me, sir, I’ll not resist.”

Hook stared at the gunner for a moment, then calmly jerked the boy up to stare at him eye-to-eye. “If you hadn’t proven your value to me as an inventor, gunner, and smith, I’d string you up right now. You’ve escaped death, but you will be punished. And next time you meet your friend, you will prove your loyalty by delivering him to me. Do you understand?”

Jukes stared, wide-eyed, and tried to think of a response. A scream spared him from having to answer, a cry for help coming from somewhere nearby.

Hook dropped the boy and spun in the direction of the sound. “Men! Break’s over,” he yelled as he went to investigate the source of the sound. Not far from the clearing ran Kid’s Creek. Hook stepped to the bank of the creek and looked around. He spotted the source of the sound quickly, as did the men who followed him.

“Slightly!” Jukes shouted, trying to jump in the water to help his friend.

Mullins restrained him. “Ya can’t swim, lad,” he reminded him.

Slightly was in the middle of the stream, the rushing water keeping him pinned to a rock, but his head and shoulders were above the surface. At Jukes’s call, he opened his eyes. He couldn’t see so well, but he’d recognized the voice. “Help me, please,” he called and passed out again.

Hook stared at the scene for a moment, considering. He’s injured. If I save him, he’ll make admirable bait for Pan. Or, I could let him die and be rid of one Lost Boy. It was an easy decision, and he turned to his men. “Rope, Smee. I’ll tie one end to myself, you louts hold the other. I’m going after the whelp.”

“You’ll go, Cap’n? Thank you!” Billy cried in relief.

“Don’t be a fool, Jukes,” Hook growled, “I plan to use the brat as bait, and I’m the only one that can swim that’s strong enough for the current.” He’ll have a hard time choosing between me and that boy one day. Jukes’s loyalties lie with love, not fear, else he never would have stood up to me when Mullins took sick. But as long as I have Mullins, I have him.

A few minutes later, Hook was chest deep in the creek, moving slowly across the rushing water. He’d begun a bit upstream so that by time he got to the center of the creek, the current would have him where Slightly lay. When he reached the boy, he rested against the rock, careful not to dislodge the injured child.

When he caught his breath, he reached for Slightly. The boy awoke as he felt himself moved, and he cried out in fear when he recognized Hook.

“Save your strength, boy, and don’t fight me,” Hook growled. “If I drop you, you’ll be washed down stream again.” He waited until Slightly nodded, then slung him over his shoulder and signaled his men to haul on the rope. Slowly but steadily, the man and his captive made their way ashore.

Once on land, Hook did not relinquish his burden. Instead, he untied the rope and ordered his men on towards the ship.

“But Cap’n,” Billy protested, seeing the blood that still seeped from Slightly’s wound, “he’s hurt and bleedin’!”

“He’ll hurt more if you don’t shut up and move,” Hook snarled as he led the way. The boy was out again, so Hook didn’t worry about restraining him. Far distant, they heard voices calling for Slightly. “They’re searching for him. But I’m not ready for them to find him yet. Until I have Pan, young Slightly is very dear to me. So hurry up and get to the ship!”

When they finally got aboard, Hook had a cot put in the brig. He left Slightly to the care of Smee and Jukes, and retired to his cabin to plan. Occasionally, he came down to check on the boy (and to ensure Jukes wasn’t helping the boy escape).

The wound in Slightly’s side was easy to take care of. It was deep, but it was a glancing wound that did not injure anything but skin and muscle. But it did bleed a lot, and the boy was very weak from blood-loss. Smee was able to close it up fine, so the danger from it (excepting infection) was now minimal.

Slightly looked like he’d been beaten. He was covered in bruises and had several cracked ribs. His skin was abraded on his arms and legs where he’d scraped rocks, and he had a huge lump on his head. They made him as comfortable as they could and let him rest. Jukes insisted on staying with him, though, unable to stop worrying until Slightly woke up.

That evening, Hook went to the brig again to see if the boy was awake. He felt a surge of anger and annoyance to see Jukes sitting on a stool by the bed. “Boy,” he growled, “why are you neglecting your duties?”

Billy looked up in alarm, “Mullins and Starkey took my chores so I could tend to Slightly,” he stammered. His alarm grew when Hook entered the cell and shut the door behind him.

“We have yet to discuss your punishment, Mr. Jukes,” Hook growled. He felt a great deal of satisfaction in the fear he saw in Billy’s eyes.

“Don’t,” Slightly moaned. He tried to open his eyes, but he couldn’t. “Don’t hurt Billy… like Peter… hurt me.”

“Peter Pan did this to you?” Hook asked in disbelief.

“He… banished me. Said I was… pirate,” Slightly mumbled, falling back into blessed sleep again.

“Did he now,” Hook mused, looking at the boy critically. Pan disowned him. He has no one to turn to. I can use this boy to more advantage than I thought. He knows where Peter Pan sleeps. Perhaps Jukes can persuade Slightly to join us. Then I can have Pan and Jukes can have his friend.

He looked again at Jukes and smiled. “Your punishment is to care for Mr. Slightly. See that he recovers and does not escape. If he runs away, I will hang you. You seem to be the only friend left to him, so perhaps you’ll get your wish.”

Billy frowned, distrustful of Hook’s intentions. “What wish, sir?”

“I want that boy to sign on to my crew. I want the secrets in his head, and I want him to give them to me willingly. You and I will convince him to join us. I’ll get Pan and I’ll no longer have to be concerned about your loyalties. Now do you understand?”

“Ay, Cap’n,” Jukes answered. He watched Hook leave and turned back to Slightly. “I’m sorry, cully. I shouldn’a let the cat out that we’re friends. I want ya to be a pirate, but at the same time, I don’t want ya to live in fear of Cap’n like I do. I just want us to be able to be friends.” He brushed the hair from Slightly’s face and sighed. “It would be better if we both could be Lost Boys,” he whispered, “but I can’t leave Mullins.”

End Chapter 2